Record number of natural disasters

By Dermidio Juez-PerezThis year, the United States has been hit by a record number of natural disasters. Recently, several California towns set all-time heat records. At press time, 110 large fires were burning in various parts of the country. And as multiple news agencies have reported, the nation has suffered through some of the most severe hurricanes in its history.In late August and early September, Hurricane Harvey brought unprecedented flooding to Texas and hit parts of Louisiana. Right behind Harvey came Hurricane Irma, which swept through the Caribbean and Florida. It remains to be seen what damage Hurricane Jose will do. Scientists have said the signals are clear that this year’s series of disasters are signs of climate change. And the severe weather is expected to worsen in the years ahead. In a story for The Verge, Michael Mann, director of the Earth System Science Center at Pennsylvania State University, said natural disasters would become more extreme. “More extreme floods, heatwaves, droughts and hurricanes,” Mann was quoted as saying.David Titley, director of the Center for Solutions to Weather and Climate Risk at Penn State, told The Verge: “This is going to be the future.” Scientists expect a future with stronger heatwaves, more wildfires, heavier rainstorms and a greater number of intense hurricanes. In the meantime, people’s lives are being destroyed by natural disasters. Homes in Texas and Florida have been damaged beyond repair. Many sentimental objects have been lost. And many victims lost more than material objects; they lost loved ones, too. Recovery from the latest group of natural disasters is expected to take time, effort and money. CNN Money reported on Monday (Sept. 11) that in Texas alone the cost of damages caused by Hurricane Harvey is expected to range from $70 billion to $90 billion. And in Florida, the Federal Emergency Management Agency estimates that 1 out of every 4 buildings in the Florida Keys has been destroyed, with reports of at least some damage to 65 percent of the buildings overall.